Author: Theresa Rose

JazzFest Results Updated

By Theresa Rose · Monday, February 27th, 2023 at 5:44 am CDT

Mount Pleasant High School’s Jazz 1 placed third and Fort Madison fourth in Class 3A at the 2-day Indian Hills JazzFest in Ottumwa this past weekend. Oskaloosa and Centerville took the top two spots.  In the Second Bands category Mount Pleasant’s Jazz 2 came in second to Oskaloosa.

Jazz 2: Addison Bentler, trumpet

Jazz 1: Drake Landau, guitar; Brandon Burtlow, flugelhorn; Ethan Sexauer, vibraphone, Bryce Wilson, drums; Danny Myhs, trombone

Both of the Mount Pleasant jazz bands will be participating in the Southeast Iowa Bandmasters Association Jazz Festival hosted by Clear Creek-Amana High School Saturday, March 4.

 

Robert Gilbert Mann

By Theresa Rose · Sunday, February 26th, 2023 at 9:38 am CDT

Robert Gilbert Mann, 76, of West Point, Iowa, passed away at 11:38 a.m. Thursday, February 24, 2023, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.

He was born on December 22, 1946, in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, the son of Gilbert and Dorothy (Jacobsmeier) Mann. On September 11, 1971, he married Martha Jean Elliott in Monmouth, Illinois.

Bob is survived by his wife Jean of West Point; two sons: Jeff (Melissa) Mann of Marshalltown and Jason Mann of West Point; granddaughter: Peyton Mann of Marshalltown; two brothers: Steve (Patricia) Mann of Burlington and Tom (Linda) Mann of Monmouth; three sisters: Marcia Arango of Hollywood, Florida, Mary (Jim) Howard of Bumpass, Virginia and Dottie (Tony) Vonderhaar of Houghton. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brother-in-law: Fernando Arango.

Bob was a graduate of St. John’s High School. He owned and operated Bob Mann Trucking for many years. Bob was a member of St. Mary’s of the Assumption Catholic Church where he had served on the parish council, West Point American Legion Holtz-Geers Post #668 and the West Point Knights of Columbus. He was a United States Navy veteran and served on the USS Boston during the Vietnam War. Bob enjoyed sports, bowling, working on his trucks and being with his granddaughter. He adored his granddaughter and grand-dogs.

His body has been entrusted to the crematory of Schmitz Funeral Home for cremation.

Visitation will begin at 12:00 noon, Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at Schmitz Funeral Home in West Point, where the family will receive friends from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. A Knights of Columbus Rosary will be recited at 4:00 p.m. and a Christian Wake service at 5:30 p.m. at the funeral home.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 2, 2023, at St. Mary’s of the Assumption Catholic Church in West Point, with Father Dan Dorau as celebrant.

Burial will be held in Calvary Cemetery with full military rites by the West Point American Legion Holtz-Geers Post #668.

Memorials have been established in his memory for St. Mary’s of the Assumption Catholic Church or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.schmitzfuneralhomes.com. Schmitz Funeral Home of West Point is assisting the family with arrangements.

Busy Jazz Band Competition Weekend

By Theresa Rose · Sunday, February 26th, 2023 at 9:17 am CDT

Congrats to the Winfield Mt. Union Jazz Band on a 2nd Place finish at Coe College Jazz Summit, and to Gabe Hemsworth who was named the 1A outstanding Soloist. WMU jazz band’s next competition is Saturday, March 4th, when they perform at Clear Creek Amana at 9:00 to hopefully qualify for an invitation to the Iowa Jazz Championships in April.

Mount Pleasant Jazz Bands did not place at Coe.  Both Jazz 1 and Jazz 2 also went to Ottumwa for the Indian Hills JazzFest. Those results were not released as of Sunday morning.  However, the Outstanding Musicianship Awards have been announced. Musicians who received those honors from Mt. Pleasant are….

Jazz 2: Addison Bentler, trumpet

Jazz 1: Drake Landau, guitar;

Brandon Burtlow, flugelhorn;

Ethan Sexauer, vibraphone,

Bryce Wilson, drums;

Danny Muhs, trombone

Keokuk House Fire

By Theresa Rose · Sunday, February 26th, 2023 at 8:59 am CDT

Officials with the Keokuk Fire Department believe a grease fire in a pan on a stove caused a house fire Saturday night. The Department responded to a call in the 1500 block of Main Street just after 5 pm Saturday. Six people in the house at the time were able to get out. The house is believed to be a total loss.

Smith Hired as Director of Field Operations for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

By Theresa Rose · Friday, February 24th, 2023 at 6:49 pm CDT

Janet Smith has accepted the position of director of field operations with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach serving the southern half of Iowa. She begins the position March 15.

Smith will provide leadership to approximately half of the state’s extension regions, supplying direction to regional directors and supporting county directors and councils. During regional director vacancies, she will be responsible for leading the search to find a new regional director and may serve on an interim basis as supervisor for county staff or will supervise a county director who oversees the county staff. Smith will also oversee program delivery and initiate strategies for county extension councils to meet their legal obligations as an elected body and carry out the roles and responsibilities of an extension district.

Smith has more than 35 years of experience as an extension professional. She has served as a county 4-H educator, county director, human sciences specialist and regional director. She has served on many state committees. Smith has experience working with complex staffing issues and has collaborated with several internal and external partners on programming that enhanced and expanded extension education.

“Janet’s passion for nurturing and growing others at a grassroots level is ideal in her role as director of field operations. Her ability to coach, problem solve and innovate complex situations is a benefit for us and the organization as a whole,” said Andrea Nelson, assistant vice president with ISU Extension and Outreach. “We congratulate her on her acceptance of this position.”

Smith holds a bachelor’s degree in family and consumer science education from Iowa State University and a master’s in higher education, planning, policy and leadership from the University of Iowa.

Jim Brooks

By Theresa Rose · Friday, February 24th, 2023 at 6:35 pm CDT

Jim Dean Brooks, 80 of Wayland, died Friday, February 24, 2023, at the Parkview Home in Wayland.

His body has been cremated and interment of his cremains will be at a later date at the Center Cemetery. Beatty Peterseim Funeral, Cremation Care, and Monument Services is caring for Jim. A memorial has been established for the Wayland Fire Department.

Jim graduated from Wayland High School in 1960 and attended Iowa Wesleyan College. He was united in marriage to Eloise (Miller) Brooks on October 10, 1965, in Olds, Iowa. Along with his wife he owned and operated the Brooks Meat Plant. He was a former volunteer firefighter for the city of Wayland. He was an over the road truck driver for many years. And, if you knew Jim, you felt you had driven truck right beside him with the many stories he told. He loved to talk and never knew a stranger. After retiring from City Carton Recycling, he could be found watching the Western and Golf channels, as well as keeping up with his grandchildren’s activities. He enjoyed the many trips to the Lake of the Ozarks, fishing, camping, woodworking, trap shooting, and golf. Most of all he loved his family and was so proud of them.

Jim is survived by his wife Eloise, son Greg (Patty) Brooks of Burlington, IA, two brothers: Rod (Charlene) Brooks of Florida, Sid Brooks of Wayland, IA, one sister Nancy Mattocks of Washington, IA, three grandchildren: Heidi (Benjamin) Robinson of North Liberty, IA, Allison (Chelsea) Klein of Kansas City, MO, Jacob (Kayli) Brooks of Valdosta, GA, three great-grandchildren: William Robinson, Noah Brooks, and Oscar Robinson.

Jim was proceeded in death by his parents, son Jeff “Cookie” and grand puppy Murphy.

The Dickey Dispatch

By Theresa Rose · Friday, February 24th, 2023 at 3:18 pm CDT

by Senator Adrian Dickey

 

Hello Senate District 44!

I’m happy to say that this was another GREAT week in the Iowa Senate. We passed some very important legislation, many amazing groups were at the Capitol, and my committee meetings set forth some great pieces of legislation. It was a very productive week and I am proud of the legislation we passed. Next week is the first funnel week, which means a very busy schedule is ahead of us.

Some of the groups that found their way to the Capitol were Access Energy Cooperative, Iowa State University, and the Iowa Firearms Coalition for 2A Day on the Hill. As always, I greatly enjoyed visiting with these groups and hearing their comments and concerns over issues and legislation. Iowa State University held a great event on Tuesday to showcase their recent advancements and achievements, particularly in the area of technology. It was very interesting to see all of the innovative student projects.

On Wednesday multiple pro-2A groups showed up to the Capitol and advocated for Second Amendment rights. I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and enjoyed seeing so many Iowans embrace this right of theirs.

Wednesday was a BIG day for me. I started the day with a subcommittee on firefighting training requirements the state has placed on our small volunteer fire departments 13 years ago. I have been a volunteer firefighter for the past 31 years and GREATLY love to serve my community in this manner. However, I have a firsthand understanding as to how the government, even with their good intentions, can be overwhelmingly burdensome. Because of that, I introduced SF 313 which allowed an easement on the training requirements on our veteran volunteer firefighters at the discretion of the fire chief.

Wednesday night the Senate voted on SF 228, tort reform for commercial motor vehicles. I believe this was a vitally important bill due to how much Iowans rely on the trucking industry. Trucking in Iowa is the 2nd largest industry of employment with 1 out of 13 paychecks coming from this industry. Besides being a major employer in Iowa, everything we use in our day to day lives is brought to us by a truck! Simply put, without trucks, IOWA stops! This bill limits the amount of noneconomic damages a jury can award in a commercial vehicle accident lawsuit. Economic damages, such as health care costs, lost wages, and other definable expenses remain uncapped, as well as punitive damages where a driver/company is guilty of extreme negligence in conducting their business. However in the very, very race occurrences where drugs or alcohol might be involved, the limits from this bill are removed. SF 228 creates a balance between awards for those injured in an accident while slowing down many of the erroneous lawsuits that are taking place in this industry.

Another large piece of legislation that is moving forward is the Governor’s Realignment Bill. A longstanding goal of Governor Reynolds is to make government smaller, smarter, and more efficient by eliminating needless obstacles that burdens Iowans. This week, the Senate State Government Committee passed SSB 1123, which works to improve the alignment of the State’s government functions and departments. The bill combines 37 executive branch cabinet agencies and reduces the number to 16. At the moment, Iowa has more cabinet agencies than all of our neighboring states. This reduction in cabinet agencies will bring departments with similar functions together, and in doing so increase efficiency and communications. Over the next four years, this bill is estimated to save Iowans $214 million. There is still work to be done on this bill, but it is a great step forward in the right direction of making Iowa’s government smaller, smarter, and overall more efficient. The end goal – for the government to work better for Iowans.

Next week is sure to be an interesting and busy week, but one I look forward to. If you happen to find yourself at the Capitol please feel free to send a note into the Senate chamber and I will do my best to find time to meet with you. Thank you for your continued support!

Mount Pleasant School Board Work Session Agenda

By Theresa Rose · Friday, February 24th, 2023 at 3:14 pm CDT

Mount Pleasant Community School District School Board Work Session

Date:  February 27, 2023 6:00 PM

Mount Pleasant Community School District: High School Media Center

Mount Pleasant, Iowa 52641

 

  1. Call to Order
  2. Roll Call
  3. Approval of Agenda
  4. Update on District Technology Program – Brandon Ridinger, Director of Technology
  5. Review 23-24 PPEL Spending Considerations
  6. Adjournment

 

Following adjournment the Board will move to an exempt meeting pursuant to Iowa Code 21.9 to discuss matters of strategy related to collective bargaining.